diff --git a/doc/.gitignore b/doc/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..378eac2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+build
diff --git a/doc/Makefile b/doc/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d0c3cbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Minimal makefile for Sphinx documentation
+#
+
+# You can set these variables from the command line, and also
+# from the environment for the first two.
+SPHINXOPTS    ?=
+SPHINXBUILD   ?= sphinx-build
+SOURCEDIR     = source
+BUILDDIR      = build
+
+# Put it first so that "make" without argument is like "make help".
+help:
+	@$(SPHINXBUILD) -M help "$(SOURCEDIR)" "$(BUILDDIR)" $(SPHINXOPTS) $(O)
+
+.PHONY: help Makefile
+
+# Catch-all target: route all unknown targets to Sphinx using the new
+# "make mode" option.  $(O) is meant as a shortcut for $(SPHINXOPTS).
+%: Makefile
+	@$(SPHINXBUILD) -M $@ "$(SOURCEDIR)" "$(BUILDDIR)" $(SPHINXOPTS) $(O)
diff --git a/doc/source/conf.py b/doc/source/conf.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c0f1819
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/source/conf.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+# Configuration file for the Sphinx documentation builder.
+#
+# For the full list of built-in configuration values, see the documentation:
+# https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html
+
+# -- Project information -----------------------------------------------------
+# https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html#project-information
+
+project = "depiction"
+copyright = "2024, Leonardo Schwarz"
+author = "Leonardo Schwarz"
+
+# -- General configuration ---------------------------------------------------
+# https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html#general-configuration
+
+extensions = []
+
+templates_path = ["_templates"]
+exclude_patterns = []
+
+
+# -- API
+extensions.append("autoapi.extension")
+autoapi_dirs = ["../../src"]
+
+
+# -- Options for HTML output -------------------------------------------------
+# https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html#options-for-html-output
+
+html_theme = "furo"
+html_static_path = ["_static"]
diff --git a/doc/source/index.rst b/doc/source/index.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a8eb254
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/source/index.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+.. depiction documentation master file, created by
+   sphinx-quickstart on Wed Jul 17 14:24:31 2024.
+   You can adapt this file completely to your liking, but it should at least
+   contain the root `toctree` directive.
+
+depiction documentation
+=======================
+
+Add your content using ``reStructuredText`` syntax. See the
+`reStructuredText <https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/restructuredtext/index.html>`_
+documentation for details.
+
+
+.. toctree::
+   :maxdepth: 2
+   :caption: Contents:
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 921d5a4..25fc423 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -70,7 +70,10 @@ dev = [
     "spatialdata",
     "spatialdata-plot>=0.2.1",
     "types-tqdm",
-    "pytype"
+    "pytype",
+    "sphinx",
+    "sphinx-autoapi",
+    "furo", # sphinx theme
 ]
 
 # potentially relevant in the future again: